Elections 2012: MUSIGA launches peace albums in Kumasi this weekend

The Musicians Union of Ghana will this weekend launch two albums in Kumasi ahead of the December elections.

MUSIGA embarked on a peace themed music collection as part of its efforts to promote Peace, Unity and Tolerance in Ghana before, during and after the elections.

The project encouraged Musicians to compose and record songs that can promote Peace and Unity amongst Ghanaians and to submit these songs to the Union through the various Regional Offices to be used on the Musiga Peace Compilation Album.

The selected songs received from across the 10 regional offices of Musiga were screened and shortlisted by renowned sound engineer Edward Nana Poku aka Hammer, Bessa Simons and Paulina Oduro. A total of 22 songs have been shortlisted for the two album compilation dubbed Musiga Peace Compilation Vol-1 and Musiga Peace Compilation Vol – 2 to be launched in Kumasi this weekend.

As this has to do with the intellectual property, the Union held a Distribution Rights signing session on Thursday with the various finalists at the Head Office of MUSIGA. Cheques were also presented to the various artists whose music was chosen to offset part of their recording costs.

The President of MUSIGA Bice Osei Kufuor intimated that more than 60 songs were submitted by various musicians. Initially, the Union wanted to produce one album but because of the quality of the records and their good messages, the Judges proposed that two albums should be compiled. He also talked about the MUSIGA TV Voices of Peace Television program which will screen the peace songs and videos on various television stations.

Rev Fiifi Khan, the project coordinator gave a general overview of the contract. The contract which is a non exclusive distribution contract grants both the Composer and MUSIGA the right to distribute the song for the agreed period.

The various musicians are allowed to perform their songs on any platform they deem fit while MUSIGA can also use the songs on the various Peace campaigns the Union is embarking on.

Among those who attended the signing were the National Executives of MUSIGA, headed by the President, Bice Osei Kuffour, the 2nd Vice, Bessa Simmons, the General Secretary, Mrs Deborah Anaman, the Special projects Coordinator, Rev Fiifi Khan and Paulina Oduro also part of the selection committee

This weekend, Kumasi will witness a “MUSIGA Prays For Peace” activity on Friday November 9th at 3pm which will be a non denominational prayer session at the Cultural Center in Apatakese.

The launch of the MUSIGA Peace Concert will be held on Saturday November 10th at the Jubilee Park, from 6pm.

All these activities are open to the public and are by courtesy of MUSIGA and supported by The Government of Ghana, Coca Cola, Eden Financial Services, Derse Ghana, Angel Group of Companies, Agya Ba Jewelry and Borris B Farms.